Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1887-09-25
TRIED FOR TREASON.
A Thrilling Incident OF the ''Undergrour
Railroad" Days Recalled.

hAilrOau' Days tsecAiAcus
Doubtless many old Philadelphians viii
recall the events which the New York Mai
and Express graphically depicts in the fol
lowing article:
Only one living man of the 50, DOC, OO'
|, or more people in this country has beer
, tried for high treason against the United
. States Government. Aaron Burr, dead
: shares the distinction with him. This mai
is Casper Hanaway, Pennsylvania Qua
Ker, now living in WILDER, Seine county
Neb. He is IS years old. His trial fol
high treason occurred thirty-fve year.
ago in the United States Court in Phila
delphia Though now almost forgotten
it was one of the exciting Incl
dents in the early days Of the
anti-slayery agitation. The celebrated
underground slave railroad is wildly
recalled by it, and the notorious BLOOD
hound Gang" of slave trafficRers also plays
a leading part in the story. In Mr.. Han
ways trial some of the most prominent
men of that time took part. 'Thad" Ste
vens vas one. Hew leading counsel for
the defense With him were associated
Thomas Kelly and John Read, both emil
nent lawyers. Read afterward became
Chief Justice of Pennsylvania. Judge
Cooper, another distinguished Pennsyl-
vanian, led the prosecution, and the case,
which lasted seventeen days, was heard
before Judges Kane and Grier, of the United
States Court. 1t is fact of particular in
terest that Of the many persons who took
part in this remarkable trial and in the
stormy events preceding it Mr.. Hanway is
the only survivor. Judge, jury, witnesses,
famous counsel, and even one of Mr.. Han
ways Quaker brethren, who was jointly
indicted with him, but never tried-all
have passed to higher Court.
The story of the incidents surrounding
the case, when related TO the writer during
q recent Western trip by the sole remain
ing actor in them, and the one for whom
they had most serious import, possessed an
interest peculiarly enhanced by Mr.. Han
ways genuine Quaker modesty of manner.
| lie is plain man. He stands some inches
over six feet. His form is spare in pro-
portion to his height. His face is calm
and patient, and he speaks deliberately
and thOughtfully in low, mild modulated
voice. Mr.. Hanway removed from Penn.
sylvania to Nebraska in 1878 for his
health. His wife and q huge Newiound.
land dog are his only family. The three
take life very quietly. The nearest APP
prOach to excitement is when Mr.. Han.
way relates his story, and that is seldom.
What Pennsylvania local history records
as the Christiana tragedy was the affair
| from which the trial grew. 1t happened on
September ii, in Lancaster county, where
Mr.. Hanway was then a small miller. Mr..
Hanway was from the first one Of the most
feryent of the many ferveut Quaker Adolf
tionists. He was the proprietor of regu.
lar station of the underground railway.
Many fugitive slaves were helped on their
perilous pilgrimages to the Canadian safety
line by him. He had from one to half
dozen at his depot all the time, and once
he harbOred as many rs eleven, but the
utmost vigilance was required to elude the
Bloodhound Gang which infested the re-
giOn. The business of this gang was 10
kidnap both fugitive and free negroes, and
spirit them across into Maryland, where
the slave dealers maintained brisk mar
ket.
Toward the fall of 1851 the Bloodhound
Gang grew particularly bold and desperate.
Its raids were more numerous than ever
before. Emissaries from the desperate
band of negro hunters overran Lancaster
county and the adjoining country and
| opposition to them was extremely hazard
Gus.
For long time the bloodhound Gang
had hated William Parker, who lived near
Mr.. UHnway's place. Parker was negro
and fugitive. Besides possessing great
physical courage, he was intelligent and
energetic, and all the blacks of the region
| had long recognized him az their leader.
| He made no secret of his hatred for the
slave-hunters, and in more than one in
strnce he had thwarted their designs. So
great was his personal prowess and his
popularity with the negroes that even the
| Bloodhound Gang did not dare to attempt
his capture by open violence. They at
last determined to take him by strategy.
Edward Gorsch, Parker's former master,
lived down in Maryland. He was a rabid
pro-slavery man. 1t was easy for the
Bloodhound Gang to enlist his assistance
in the Ottempt to capture Parker, over
whose loss Gorsuch had long been very
sore The gang also obtained the appoint
ment of Henry II. Kline, low, worthless
fellow Of Lancaster, as Deputy United
States Marshal Then Gorsuch and his
sons, with Kline and some of the Blood
hound Gang, started after Parker. They
reached his cabin Just before dawn on the
morning of September IL. Kline ham
mered on the door, and C ,lled upon Parker
to surrender in the name OF the United
States Government. Parker replied from
within, refusing to obey the summons.
"Open that door, you black hound, or
we'll batter it I'M" yelled Kline. IL am a
United States Marshal"
81 believe you are a liar from the tone
OF Your voice; officers of the United States
generally talk like gentlemen" replied
the sturdy negro. 81 will not open the
door, and give you fair warning it will
he the worse for you if you try to force it. !"
At the same time Parker hastily told
his wife TO blow a tin horn from an upper
window This was signal for the rising
of the blacks. The lusty blast sounded
for half mile around. Excited negroes
sprang up from all sides. Hardly had
Kline and GOrsuch repeated their demands
on Parker before they were surrounded.
The startled blacks were ready for desper-
ate work Most of them were armed witt
long, ngly cOrn-knives, some carried pitch
forks and axes and few had pistols or
guns.
Mr.. Hanway lived mile from Parker's
cabin. He was at breakfast when the news
of the disturbance reached him. 1t was
brought by brother Quaker named Elijah
Lewis. Mounting his horse and leaving
Lewis to follow on foot, Mr. Hanway
started of to the scene on gallop. As he
came painting mp the negroes at Parker's
were on the point of charging the Gorsuch
party. They were huddled in a narrow
lane near the cabin, branishing their mis-
cellaneOus weapons and yelling defiance at
the kidnappers. But for Hanway's timely
J | 6lnnI ,ronlI kn-a u.,-.l A.